Love and an apple tree
by Errol's Feather
Summary: There was only two things Regina truly loved, Henry and her apple tree so when Emma come along to try to take him away and ruins her tree she wants to get back. Although revenge isn't that sweet. A story of love apples and a horse named Applejack.


_**Authors Note:**_ Based half on an idea I had and half on the vid Stable girl from YT by blondie0136. There will be a continence to this._ By the way also always loved the name Applejack. **  
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_**Disclaimer: **_I do not own once upon a time and I do not make any money from it._ **  
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* * *

_**Love and the apple tree**_

There was a lot to be said about Regina Mills the mayor of Storybrooke, and it was debatable how much of it was true. There was however two things that was and that was that she loved two things. The great apple tree that was standing in her garden and her adoptive son Henry.

Meaning she did not take lightly when someone would harm her three of take Henry away.

No one would do either until Emma Swan came into the town and the reason to her every setting foot there was Henry. He had run away one day in hunt of his biological mother, Emma.

The day Regina realized her son was missing she got terrified. She of course knew that he sooner or later would go in search of his biological mother; she just didn't expect it to be that soon. He was after all only ten. He was a lot smarter than boys his age; she had some of the credits for that trying to teach him things from an early age. He of course had listened to her and even if he messed up like other little boys and got punished, he was smart enough to not make the same mistake twice.

One of the biggest days in Regina's life had been when young Henry took his first steps. She had been so happy that she had cried with joy. And a shiver of joy had run through her body when he had said his first word, "Mama."

Oh yes Regina loved Henry like any mother would have loved her own son. In every possible way and she was proud whenever he accomplished something. She made sure to tell him that. And even though she loved him she might not be good at telling him that as he didn't seem to love her back, at least not the later years.

* * *

Respect her perhaps, but not love her and that hurt her. It hurt her even more to see him with his mother after she brought her back. She knew at once, who she was; she also knew she now would lose Henry to her. That was enough for her to cry after he had fallen asleep that very same night.

The next morning she had gone down to her beloved apple tree, she had kicked of her shoes and climbed up and hid in between the branches. She reached for an apple and let her teeth sink into it. She had without a doubt the tree with the best apples that was. They were a mix between sweet and sour. She had the tree ever since she was got stuck here. She was very glad that was one of the things she had left from fairytale land.

She could still remember her castle even if there she hadn't been there for over thirty eight years, as many years Emma had lived. Emma she hated her for coming into her life and messing it all up. Even if she was the reason as to why Henry was.

As she climbed down from the tree and walked up towards the house she could see Henry walking outside. She smiled at him saying, "Ready to go to school."

"Yes, where were you?" he asked her.

"Oh just getting you and apple," she said, handing him one.

He took it with a smile saying, "Thanks, ma."

"You are welcome, Henry," she said and smiled at him. He smiled back before he went to get into her car. He didn't mind all too much that she was driving him to school. It wasn't that it was that far to walk, still driving was more comfortable.

As he was about to get out she bent over to give him a peck on the cheek as she always did, then she asked, "Do you want me to get you when you are done or do you want to walk home?"

"I want you to get me," he answered.

"Okay, I'll be here a little over three then," she said. He nodded and got out, she watched him until he was safely inside before turning the car to drive back home. It was then she managed to catch a glimpse on someone on the other side of the street. Emma.

She at the moment was talking to Mary Margaret about something before she turned to talk towards the diner. Most likely to get breakfast Regina assumed.

She started the car and drove back to the house where she again went to her beloved three. She reached up to pick some more apples and went inside.

* * *

It was later that day Regina startled when she heard the sound of a chain saw, she looked out only to Emma cutting off a piece of her beautiful apple three. A shiver of rage ran through her body as she hurried outside to confront her. The other woman showed no signs of regret over what she had just done instead she threatened her.

Regina could feel the blood boil in her veins. One thing was trying to steal Henry another was to cut off a branch of her beloved tree. The three that had stayed with her all these years as the last connection to the life she once had. The tree that had the best apples there was, the three that in one weird way gave her some sense of safety.

And now it was broken. Regina let her hand stroke over the injured place with a gentle hand as tears streamed from her face as soon as Emma left. This was taking it too far and she would not be getting away with it.

She decided to find the right moment to strike to take away something Emma really cared about to make her pay. She deserved it. She slowly cleaned up the broken branch and picked the apples of it. She hoped it would heal fast.

From a window Henry was watching her wondering if what he was seeing was right, was she really crying over an apple tree. It was possible he assumed as she had always cared a great deal about it even if he never got why.

* * *

By the time Regina got her revenge it however didn't taste as sweet as she thought it would and in the end it made her feel rather sad instead of satisfied. Having young Graham's heart in her wall of hearts just wasn't worth it. Neither was causing Emma pain.

It was a few days later that the mayor went to Emma, holding one single red apple from her beloved three. She made sure she was alone in the sheriff's office on the point of her entering it.

"Miss Swan," she spoke to get her to notice her presence.

Emma turned to look at the dark-haired woman standing in the hallways. She was looking rather tired, her hair was messier than it usually was, but was struck her was that she too a change was not wearing other makeup than her usual red lipstick.

"Madam Mayor, what can I do for you?" asked Emma, looking at her.

"I wanted to give you this," said Regina, handing over the apple so carefully that you might think it would break.

"An apple…?" Emma said, holding it, looking at her with questioning eyes, wondering if this was a trick.

"From my tree, taste it," Regina insisted.

Again Emma frowned, but she thought she humor the other woman, so she took a bite. As she chewed on it she couldn't help but noticing she never had an apple taste so good before. It was like the apple cider she had when she first dropped of Henry; it seemed to melt on her tongue.

"Oh my God, this is so good," she said, taking another bite.

"These Miss Swan, are the apples from my tree. You may not care about that tree or me for that matter, but to me that tree is special. I had it for ages, I take care of it as it should be my family, and I love that tree," Regina spoke.

"Okay I heard a lot of weird stuff over the years, but this…Why do you care so much for a tree?" Emma asked.

"Because for as long as I have lived I have loved apples. It may not seem like much to you, but…When I was young or rather before I got married we couldn't afford much, much less an apple tree. My father whoever used to buy me apples whenever he was on the town marked. I used to share them with my stallion Applejack," said Regina making Emma giggle.

"Sorry what is so funny?" Regina said, raising a brow at her.

"You having a stallion named Applejack, go on," said Emma, she couldn't quite picturing Regina having a horse with that name.

"In any case when I got married I begged my husband for an apple tree and as he wanted to make me happy he got me one. However as time changed and I moved here I had to leave that three behind and so I decided to grow a new one here so I could have apples that tasted as good as the once on the tree I used to have. I succeeded," said Regina with a smile.

"Wait whatever happened to Applejack after you married and why are you not married anymore?" Emma asked, she knew for a fact there were no men in Regina's life at the present point and certainly no horse.

"They both died, I grieved over Applejack for the longest time," said Regina.

"Not your husband, not a happy marriage then," Emma quickly concluded.

"When you are forced to marry it very seldom is," said Regina.

"You killed him didn't you," said Emma, looking at her in shock.

"Why are you so surprised, thought Henry had told you who I was," said Regina with a shrug.

"You killed him, and you tried to kill Snow-white, why?" asked Emma.

"He loved her more than he loved me; she made sure my mother killed the man I loved so I would marry her father. I didn't know that until later though," Regina summed of more.

Before Emma could help it she slipped, "You poor darling, no one should have to go through something like that. You should have gotten to marry…"

"Daniel, his name was Daniel, he was our stable boy," Regina whispered, looking away.

"I can understand why that was not accepted in that world," said Emma with a smile

Regina didn't answer; instead she turned to look out the window. She felt trapped as she from time to time missed her castles and her life; still she had no way of knowing how to get back. Before she could stop herself tears were starting to fall from her dark eyes.

Emma frowned wondering if she was seeing this right, was Regina really standing there in her office crying. Was she going to try to comfort her or leave her be. It felt wrong not to do anything all things considered, so she went over, put a hand on her shoulder, turning her, finding that she was in deed crying.

Emma very carefully took her into her arms, letting the other woman lean on her as she continued to cry. Cry for the unfairness that over the years had been brought upon her. When she finally stopped she backed away from Emma, not saying anything. She didn't know what to say, how to explain her actions. So instead she made a run for it, hurrying out of there.

Emma just looked after her, more confused than ever, was this the woman she over her time here had learned to dislike so. In her hand was still the red apple, and as she looked at it, it came to her that red was the color of love. Was this an action of it? No, that couldn't be, not after she had chopped off a branch from her tree. She shook it off, taking another bite.

* * *

It wasn't until Regina was safe at home that her mind started to work like crazy. She hadn't noticed it until she backed away from Emma, but around her slender neck hang a necklace holding a ring. A ring that wore a striking resemblance to the one Daniel had given her when he proposed. It was the one thing she still had left from him; she always had it with her. How she had failed to see Emma had a similar one around her neck she would never know. She just knew it had to be a sign.

Could Daniel have been reincarnated into her, if everyone were to be trapped? No that didn't make sense to her. She slowly let the ring slip down on her finger, before she slowly made her way to her father's grave.

Once there she stroked over her coffin whispering, "Oh daddy, I wish you were here. I am so lost on what to do. I see her and Henry and my heart breaks. I don't wish her to take him from me, I raised him as my own and I love him. Yet she is his mother and he belongs with her. I love her and I hate her. I want her as I have not wanted anyone before her. I mean after Daniel. I am so confused, I look at her and I see his ring. I don't know if she is him, oh daddy."

Her tears again started to fall as she knelt next to his coffin falling apart due to all her mixed emotions. She had so many regrets, so many longings, so many needs that needed to be fulfilled.

And then out of nowhere she heard a neigh. The mayor ran outside only to see a brown horse standing there. Regina walked up to it slowly so it wouldn't get spooked. The horse backed away at first, but as it saw Regina meant no harm it came closer and let her pet it.

"Where did you come from, beautiful?" she asked in a soft tone.

The horse of course couldn't answer, but it did seem to trust her. Regina managed to get it closer to the steps so she could try to get on it. It had been ages since she had been on a horse and even longer since she had been riding without a saddle. Not to mention she was in a skirt for the time being so it wasn't really ideal to try riding. Still she somehow managed to get on without the horse seeming to mind all too much. It wasn't until she was on him, he decided to not cooperate and started to buck and rise on his hind legs to throw her off.

Regina gasped as the horse went up and slammed down again hard. She could feel her whole body trembling and her heart rising like crazy. Her hands gripped around his neck to not be thrown off in the process, which she probably had been already has she not been a skilled rider.

The horse raised and lowered itself once more, but as he still had Regina on his back he started to run faster and faster straight forward hoping that would throw her up. Regina's heart was still pounding like crazy, but she seemed to relax more now as a thrilling sensation went through her body while riding this magnificent animal. Regina laughed with happiness wondering how the horse had come to be there and who the owner was.

For some odd reason the horse didn't stop until it was under her apple tree, there it reached up to grab an apple to eat. Regina leaned on him, closing her eyes, feeling the soft breeze blow though her hair, feeling completely satisfied.

"So there you are," she heard Emma's voice, followed by a sigh.

"He's...he's yours?" Regina questioned, slowly opening her eyes. She was still more lying on the horse than sitting on it, her fingers entangled in his mane.

"Yes and no," Emma answered.

"What do you mean, he's either yours or he isn't," said Regina.

"I found him running around in the forest, or rather someone said they'd seen a runaway horse, so I decided to capture him and...Never mind that, in any case he ran away before I had a chance to chain him. I saw you ride him so I decided to follow," said Emma.  
Regina frowned, looking at her with curious eyes saying, "You were going to do something with him, what?"

"It doesn't matter now," said Emma, leaning against the apple tree.

"Wait you were going to capture him and give him to me weren't you," said Regina, looking at Emma with wondering eyes.

"Yes, after the thing with Daniel, well I though a horse could make you happy or happier if that is an emotion you do possess," said Emma with a sigh.

"Why do you want me to be happy?" Regina asked, looking at her with shocked eyes.

"Easy, so you would get off everyone's backs," said Emma with a slight smile.  
Regina's eyes again fell on the ring hanging again Emma's neck, she had to know where she got it, so she asked, "The ring around your neck, where did you get it?"

"I'm not quite sure, I've had if for as long as I can remember, I figured it was left me by my parents why?" Emma asked, wondering why that was of importance.

Regina showed her her finger where her ring was saying, "It's the same ring my Daniel gave to me when he proposed. Henry, he's always babbling about how we all are trapped not remembering who we are, I remember who I am, what I did, but Daniel he was killed before me...And here you are wearing his ring wanting to give me a horse to make me happy."

Emma swallowed hard, looking at the ring on the mayor's finger it was the same that was around her neck. And she knew all too well there couldn't have been made many of those. Was she this world's answer to Daniel? She looked at the other woman on the horse there was something so right about that picture. That horse had to be there for a reason, the apple tree and then the ring. Was she meant to be with Regina? Was that the answer to it all, what that why she was brought here.

"The book, how does it end?" Emma said, thinking more out loud than anything else.

"Where is it?" asked Regina.

"My office," said Emma.

"Take my hand," said Regina, holding it out. Emma doubted, but in the end took it and Regina managed to get on behind her on the horse. She turned her head saying, "Hold on to my waist, this will go fast."

She bent to whisper in the horse's ear, "You are going to work with me on this and not throw us off."

He went up and down to object for a little while then he settled. Regina felt Emma's arms tightening around her waist as her breath was getting ragging implying she must be scared. Regina let one hand fall on top of Emma's, stroking it lightly. Then she let her heals kick into the side of the horse, making it set of like a rocket. A yelp escaped Emma's lips as she leaned onto Regina. Holding on, closing her eyes, praying this would go well.

Suddenly they stopped and her lips were inches from Regina's ear. Regina felt a shiver of lust running down her spine as she turned so her lips were inches from Emma's. The blonde's eyes were still closed and her breath was coming in jolts. Regina's was however calm. She leaned just another inch parting her lips as they touched base with Emma's. Even if the blonde could feel what was going on she didn't move and inch. She could feel Regina's hot breath mixing with her own, Regina's tongue was slowly going to hers.

Then as it all seemed so perfect she heard Mary Margaret's voice saying, "Emma, what are you doing?"

Followed by mister Gold's "Madam Mayor, what in the world?"

Emma broke free so fast that she most likely would have fallen off from the horse had she not been held by Regina. Regina could however tell by her face she was panicking, looking for a way to get off the horse. Regina's eyes locked with Emma's to get her to focus on her not them. She managed to succeed before bending over whispering, "I'll go off then help you down, I don't want to spoke the horse because then I can risk you get injured or trampled."  
Emma's eyes widened by the thought, but a reassuring look from Regina told her she knew what she was doing so she nodded vaguely before she let go of Regina so she could climb off and help Emma off. The she addressed the other two only to see more were looking at them. She was trying to keep her cool and not snap and tell them all to go to a certain place at the same time that she was trying to keep Emma from running into her office to hide.  
She managed to keep Emma behind her so that she could hold her hand without showing that she did. The mayor turned towards mister Gold and in a bored tone said; "I believe we were trying to have a private moment on top of my horse, not that it's any of your business."

Emma looked at the shocked Mary Margaret saying, "What she said, we have to go inside to.."

Regina quickly dragged Emma inside before anyone could say something more. Emma quickly went to find the book as she could feel a slight panic over what just happened. Was it wise to start anything with Regina when she was supposed to be her enemy?

Regina on the other hand sat down by her desk saying, "You know even if I loved being a queen, I sometimes wished it was not chosen for me so that I could have married Daniel."

"And become a stable girl," said Emma with a frown, quickly browsing through the storybook.

"Yes," Regina said with a heavy sigh. She had at that point been willing to decline any powerful position she might have to marry for love instead.

Emma reached the ending but something seemed to be missing, there however was a picture that made her gasp close to it. Regina saw her face starting to pale and asked, "Princess, what's the matter?"

Emma didn't answer to that comment, most likely because she didn't mind; instead she put the book down in front of Regina. There on the picture their two rings seemed to be on top of each other, and over them showed one beating heart, underneath a red apple. Regina swallowed whispering, "Two becoming one, our hearts will beat as one, our destiny has brought us together and we shall remain so until the end."

"Stop being so dramatic and how can you know that it is us, okay apple signifies you, but there is nothing except the ring that signifies me. Anyone could have a ring like that," Emma objected slightly, she still seemed pale.

"Stop being in denial, you know it as well as you do, there has to be a reason as to why you have this ring," said Regina, her hand gripping around the ring on Emma's neck.

Emma broke free, running towards the door and soon Regina could hear hoofs against the pavement as the horse was running away.  
"You can even ride," Regina whispered as she slowly walked out of the sheriff's office and back home, holding the storybook in her hands.

* * *

When Henry came home from school that day he frowned when he saw his mother sitting underneath her beloved apple tree with the storybook in her hands. It was up on the story about the mad hatter at the moment. She seemed to be sleeping. What he found even stranger was when Emma came riding on a horse. She seemed to see the sleeping Regina, so she got off a few steps away and, walked only to tie the horse to the tree. She reached to give him an apple.

"What is going on?" asked Henry, he seemed puzzled.

"I'm returning her horse," said Emma.

"Her horse, since when does she have a horse?" Henry asked.

"Since this morning, besides I do believe the storybook saying something about Regina owning a horse before she got wed," said Emma.

"Applejack," said Henry with a nod. He had read her backstory as well. He however didn't find it logic that she would cause a curse to get revenge over a broken heart. He looked at his birth mother and asked, "Do you find her actions fair, causing so much mayhem over a broken heart?"

"I wouldn't say they may be fair, but I can understand her, there is nothing that can measure up to a broken heart, and there is nothing that can make up for the pain of losing someone you truly love," Emma answered wisely.

"I still think she went too far," he said.

"Be as it may, she is suffering as much as the rest that are trapped here," said Emma.

They stood a couple of steps away so they wouldn't wake her from her sleep, but Emma could hear her whimper so she walked over and sat down next to her, stroking her cheek whispering, "It's okay, I'm here."

Regina opened her eyes and looked at her for a second before her arms reached to pull Emma closer so she could kiss her. Emma returned it, only to deepen it for some time before her breaking free. As they gazed upon each other Regina whispered, "I'm sorry for having caused so much pain for everyone, all I wanted was to undo what was done wrong to me."

"I know and understand that, stable girl," said Emma in a soft tone, gently stroking her cheek.

"Ehm," said Henry, making them aware he was still there. Regina looked at him saying, "Yes Henry."

"Is Emma moving in here now?" he asked, looking at them with hopeful eyes.  
Regina looked at her, her eyes glimmering with hope as well, as Emma answered, "In time."  
That was more than good enough for Emma as she turned to kiss her princess yet again ignoring their son once more. He just wrinkled his nose.

* * *

In an apple three there would one sunny night sitting a lazy mayor. She was ignoring work for once; instead she was sitting peacefully in the three reading. Underneath was the sheriff, she was reading as well, looking up in the tree from time to time. Their horse was grassing some steps away. Regina reached to toss an apple down, the sheriff looked up saying, "Thanks, stable girl."

"You're welcome, my princess," said Regina with a happy giggle, thinking that this time no one would steal her love away. After all her mother was trapped in fairytale land and she had not yet found a way to get there. Not that she cared about that right now, as long as Emma was there she was more than happy. She realized then she didn't need more than her love and an apple tree.

As for Emma she at that moment didn't need more than the apple in her hand, the loving gazes of the major and the shadow from the horse. In short life was for her perfect.

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Thanks for reading, feedback is always welcome :o)


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